


Hide and Seek

by LowkeyScrupious



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Angry Draco, Angst, Crucio, Gen, Original Death Eaters, Sorry I don't know how to tag, Torture, bits of fluff?, heavy angst in the potter house, kidnap, squint for scorbus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-11 12:43:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15315768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LowkeyScrupious/pseuds/LowkeyScrupious
Summary: Someone's out for Albus, and unfortunately Scorpius gets dragged along too. Will their parents manage to find them in time?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic so it's very possibly not very good. And short. Sorry about that! The chapters are SO short but I like having the breaks where they are ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Albus had been looking forward to this summer. After the events of fourth year he had vowed to make more of an effort with his dad, something he knew Harry was also trying to reciprocate. And indeed the summer after that eventful year had been good. He and his dad had really made progress and instead of retreating to his room all the time Albus had actually enjoyed spending time with his family, being challenged by Lily at exploding snap, or playing Quidditch in the backyard. If he, James and Lily were lucky, Harry joined in from time to time, and on one memorable afternoon when Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione had visited, Albus, James, Lily, Rose, Hugo, Ron, Harry and Ginny had played the longest and most hilarious game of Quidditch Albus could ever remember being a part of. It was the most fun he’d ever had with his family.  
He and Scorpius were convinced fifth year was going to be their year. They both felt they’d done wrong but equally they were both keen to make up for it by being better students, better friends with other Slytherins, better sons. And so they entered fifth year full of optimism that things were changing for them. However, when they realized that actually, the insults and constant bullying they had already endured for four years, had not only continued, but gotten even more vicious and frequent than before, they resigned themselves to the fact that they were never going to have an easy life at Hogwarts. Whereas before, this would only have furthered Albus’s resentment for his father, now he tried not to let himself blame his dad for it. Was he still extremely jealous of how easy Harry’s life at Hogwarts had been? Yes of course, how could he not be when his was so miserable? But also, and this was thanks mainly to Scorpius, Albus knew that if he could, Harry would wave his wand and stop all the bullies from hurting him ever again.  
And so it was that at some point during their fifth year Albus and Scorpius stopped believing that things at Hogwarts were going to improve, but at least at home their relationships with their fathers were on the mend. And that is why Albus had been so looking forward to this summer, as not only was it eight weeks of being completely unconcerned with bullies, but also more time with his family. Add to this the fact that Scorpius was coming to stay for two weeks and it was the emotional polar opposite of Hogwarts.  
As he and Scorpius were lounging around in the garden of the large Potter house, and Scorpius was discussing some obscure fact he’d just learned in a new book Draco had given him entitled A Very Olde History of Magick, Albus considered telling Scorpius all of this. Of course, he knew Scorp already knew it all, but it was leading on to something he wanted to complain to him about. Instead, he waited until Scorpius had finished what he was saying and just said, “Dad’s been really overworked this summer”.  
Immediately Scorpius realized that Albus had been waiting to talk about this, and sat up straight to listen and give Albus his full attention. “Yeah, I suppose he has to be, seeing that he’s the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and there’s an escaped Death Eater on the loose”.  
“Yeah…” Albus murmured.  
“But it’s still getting to you huh?”  
“Well… not really, I get that it’s his responsibility to catch the guy and everything, but I kinda just wish he was at home more. He leaves before I’ve even had breakfast and gets back well past dinner. Sometimes it’s gone midnight when he gets back and I don’t even hear him get in. It’s supposed to be summer and we’re supposed to be bonding!”  
“If you think about it though, this is a good thing!” Scorpius replied after a moment. Albus looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “I mean, doesn’t this just show that your relationship has improved so much you want him around more? Because before you wouldn’t have cared?”  
“Yeah, I guess. I know there’s nothing I can do and I know it’s not his fault, but… I dunno, I guess I just wanted to complain to someone” Albus replied, trying to cover his embarrassment.  
“I totally get that, try having Draco the Preoccupied as a dad,” Scorpius tried to comfort Albus.  
After a minute Albus felt that he’d said what he needed to say and could now change the subject. “Do you want a drink?” he asked Scorpius.  
“Nah I’m alright thanks” Scorp replied with that characteristic smile of his. While Albus went inside Scorpius lay back down on the grass, taking in the sun and appreciating the little moment of happiness and peace, waiting for his best friend to get back.  
After a minute though, the sounds of raised voices drifted toward him from the open window of the kitchen. With a jolt, he realized it was Albus. Deciding he’d better go in and see what was going on he stood up and brushed the bits of grass off his skinny jeans.  
“I’m making the effort, he’s not. It’s as simple as that!” Scorpius heard Albus complaining as he entered the kitchen.  
“Albus…” Ginny sighed in response.  
Scorpius could see an open letter on the table that must have just recently been delivered.  
“Your dad is trying, but he’s between a rock and hard place right now, and you know it. You know he’d rather be here with us than at work.” Her tone was gentle, but Scorpius got the sense that she felt like she was talking to a brick wall.  
Seeing that Scorpius had entered, Albus turned around and was grateful for an excuse to get away from his mum’s truthful words.  
“Yeah yeah, me and Scorp are going out, we’ll be back soon.” Albus grabbed Scorpius’s arm and before he could protest he was being pulled out of the room and out the house.  
“Sorry Scorp. Eugh... I didn’t want to carry on fighting with mum.” Albus explained as they started walking down the road.  
“Are you going to tell me what that was about?” Scorpius said, grinning nervously.  
“Eughhh,” Albus groaned, “Dad just sent an owl saying he won’t be back till late tonight. Again. Surprise surprise, we were supposed to have dinner together tonight.” Albus rolled his eyes.  
“It’s fine! Fine! So what are we going to do now?” Scorpius was eager to change the subject. He told himself it was because he didn’t want to end up arguing with Albus, because he couldn’t think of a single thing to say to comfort him and they both knew Ginny was right. That’s not to say he couldn’t empathise with Albus, he did feel for him, but the real reason he didn’t want to carry on talking about the whole Albus-Harry, father-son situation was because it made him sad that things were going so well for them two, and so poorly for him and Draco. Sure, they’d made progress, and could talk about trivial things at the breakfast table without things being awkward, but deep down Scorpius knew he would never really be able to talk to his dad about anything deeper than that. Especially his mum. Draco was still grieving and Scorpius just didn’t want to burden him further. He could see the pain his dad was in daily.  
“I dunno, let’s just sit down.” Scorpius was jolted back into reality when Albus replied a moment later. They had reached the park near the Potter house, an area Albus knew well, but Scorpius had never been to. It was a perfect summer’s day, and once again Scorpius found himself reveling in how much he enjoyed being in Albus’s company.  
“Talking about father-son issues, how are things with you and your dad?” Albus asked as they sat down, suddenly feeling slightly guilty the afternoon had become focused on him and his dad arguing.  
“Oh you know!” Scorpius gushed. “They’re definitely better than they were last year! We’re still not talking about the deep stuff but…” he shrugged.  
“Yeah” Albus agreed, nodding. Both boys understood each other perfectly in that moment. After a while Albus brought up their OWL results, which still hadn’t arrived, and they spent a while discussing when they thought they’d get them finally, and how they each thought they’d done.  
“Do you still have no idea what you want to be after Hogwarts?” Scorpius asked Albus.  
“Nope. I’m not really bothered about it to be honest. We get more career advice next year, I’ll decide then.”  
“Well, rather you than me then!” Scorpius grinned awkwardly. “We should probably head back. You know your mum is probably worried we’ve run away again”. It was a joke, but both boys knew, given their history, that they shouldn’t stay out for too long, particularly after a fight, in order not to worry anyone needlessly.  
Albus sighed in agreement as they stood up, ready to go home. The air had turned colder since they’d left, and clouds had started to obscure the once clear sky. They had just turned the corner out of the park, the Potter house in sight, when a tall dark figure walked straight into them on the pavement and suddenly something was wrong. Scorpius could feel Albus right next to him, but also the terrible sensation that he was being squeezed through a tube the size of a galleon. His lungs were gasping for air, his eyes felt like they were surely going to burst right out of his head, and then finally, he was released. He fell down, the first thing he noticed was how sick he felt. He retched and vomited a little onto the ground. He could still feel Albus’s presence beside him, but he had no idea what had happened. One minute they’d been walking down the road in Devon, the next minute he was on all fours on an entirely different floor. Looking up, he realized they were outside the gates of a huge grey manor house, not unlike his own home. He reached for Albus’s arm, and could feel Albus shaking noticeably. One thing was for sure, this wasn’t good. They’d been disapperated.


	2. Chapter 2

Before he could do anything, rough hands had grabbed his forearms, and pulled him back to kneeling. He was forced to let go of Albus as a hand rooted in his jeans pockets for his wand. He could hear scuffling and presumed the same thing was happening to Albus. Suddenly he heard a spell and felt his wrists being bound behind his back.  
“Who the hell is that?” he heard a voice say in disgust.  
“You heard him blonde, who are you?” Scorpius was having his own wand pointed in his face, and he realised with a jolt they were talking about him. To him.  
He was shocked, speechless. “S-Scorpius” he simply said. “Malfoy”. For the first time he was able to look to his left and see Albus kneeling beside him, shaken but apparently unhurt. He drew courage from this. “What exactly are you doing? Where are we?”  
There were three men, but Scorpius only remembered one person walking into them on the street back home. The other two must have been waiting here for them. He saw them look uneasily at each other as soon as he said his name.  
“He may be a pureblood, but he’s a blood traitor if ever I saw one.” The man holding Albus spoke.  
“But he’s Malfoy’s grandson…”  
“Look, we’ve only gone and just kidnapped the son of Harry Potter. Malfoy’s the least of our worries. Let’s just get them inside.” Back to the man currently holding his wand at Scorpius’s neck.  
Scorpius was forced up and marched forward. The man holding Albus followed and Scorpius tried to look back frantically at Albus, trying to communicate somehow, but he suddenly realised he had no idea what he wanted to say, even if he was able to without the men hearing. They were marched through a large pair of wrought iron gates, inside the huge house within them, and led down a narrow flight of stairs that looked like it was leading to a cellar or basement. When the door at the bottom was opened however, Scorpius was dismayed to find the reality was worse. This was a dungeon, with four or five cells surrounding the walls. It was bare and made of stone, and very dark. He barely had time to think who would ever even bother having their basement converted to a home prison, before he was flung into the second cell, hard. With his arms tied behind his back, he had nothing to break the fall with and felt his nose connect painfully with the stone floor. Immediately he felt and tasted blood. He heard the cell door lock, and a minute later, he saw Albus being thrown into the cell next to his. He managed to scramble into a sitting position against the far wall of the cell. All of the light was coming from the open door. It was also freezing. The other three walls to his cell were barred, which as soon as he saw Albus in the cell next to him he was grateful for. At least they could still see and talk to each other.  
“What are you doing? What the hell do you want with us?” Albus cried out.  
The two men who had been waiting outside the manor were already leaving, heading out the door and up into the house. However the man who had disapperated them in the first place stopped for a minute. “Don’t wait” he muttered to his cronies, and turned around to face Albus, whose cell was closest to the door, and had the most light inside. Albus scrambled to the front of the cell, desperate for answers before they were left alone down here. He was determined to show as little fear as possible. The man crouched down to be at the same level as Albus through the bars.  
“I guess you have a right to know why we’re doing this,” the man smiled to himself. It chilled Scorpius. He suddenly felt scared for Albus, being so close to this man, who seemed to take pleasure in their distress. “Don’t worry, you haven’t personally done anything to me. As I’m sure you could have guessed, you’re here because it’s your father we want. Or rather, we want something from him. You’ll be released as soon as he hands over the goods.”  
“Gold?” Albus whispered in disbelief.  
Scorpius thought Albus was so brave, the way he still held his own, even though he was clearly crushed. Scorpius was terrified just watching this exchange from his adjacent cell.  
Albus could see he’d offended the man, or done something wrong, as anger flashed in his eyes. Albus backed away quickly from the bars that formed the door to the cell. However, the man didn’t react. “No. I have no need for gold. I want my brother released from Azkaban”. There was a pause at that. “Luckily,” he continued with sarcastic optimism, “your dad is the person who can do just that.”  
A surge of anger rushed through Scorpius. “You’re Vladimir Rowle! You escaped Azkaban a month ago! You-”  
“Thank Merlin he’s got it!” Rowle looked to Scorpius, then back to Albus. “Took you boys long enough. I’d have thought particularly you Albus would have recognised me from the papers. I confess I’m disappointed.”  
Albus didn’t know what to say to this.  
“I’d say I’m sorry it’s come to this Albus, but truth be told, I’m really not. You’re the son of the guy I hate most in the world! You can imagine how much fun I’m going to have!”  
Scorpius felt sick for his friend.  
“Then let Scorpius go! Please! He hasn’t done anything, he’s not useful to you at all!”  
Scorpius was overwhelmed at the loyalty Albus was showing right now, even though it really didn’t come as a surprise.  
“Sorry, can’t do that! He knows who we are, and where we are-”  
“He doesn’t-”  
“He’s a liability! You shouldn’t have been walking so close together should you! We only wanted Albus!”  
Albus paused. “My father will never release a known Death Eater into the world.” Even now, Scorpius could hear the pride in Albus’s voice. It made him so sad and so happy at the same time. He just wanted to cry.  
“Oh, I think he will” was all Rowle replied, rather ominously, before backing away from the cell and closing the door to the stairs behind him, leaving them in complete darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

“Albus?” Scorpius waited a moment for a response. When he didn’t get one he crawled to the side of the cell where Albus was on the opposite side of the bars. “Albus! Are you okay?”  
Hearing the desperation in Scorpius’s voice, Albus tried to find his own. “Yeah,” it came out more forceful than he’d meant it to sound, but not in a mean way. “You?”  
“Yeah.”  
Neither one knew what to say after this exchange.  
**************************************************  
The darkness was so close. The light coming from under the door didn’t seem to penetrate a foot into the room. Scorpius was already shivering. He knew that if he could see, he would be able to see his breath in front of him. He thought about taking his thin green jacket off and using it as a pillow, but he was too cold. Besides, him arms were still tied behind his back. The ground was so hard and unforgiving. There was absolutely nothing in the cell, just bare stone. His arms were already becoming numb, and it was impossible to get comfortable. The silence just continued. He knew he was sat right beside Albus, with only bars separating them, but he had never felt so physically far away from his best friend.  
“What the hell happened?” Albus finally broke the silence.   
“Well, we just got kidnapped by an escaped Death Eater. The very same one in fact that your dad’s been trying to find for the past month.” He was talking into darkness.   
“Huh.” Another pause. “I really thought that after we defeated Delphi that would be the end of our adventures.”  
“At least we didn’t go looking for one this time.” Scorpius smiled to himself. “It’s a dangerous business going out of your door. You step into the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no telling where you might be swept of to.”  
“What??” Albus chuckled in spite of himself. He knew it was a quote that Scorpius had read somewhere, but found it bemusing that even now when he knew Scorpius was suffering he was able to recall a perfect quote.   
“Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring. It’s a muggle book.”  
“Of course it is.” Albus smiled in the darkness.  
***************************************************  
After a few hours, a house elf entered the dungeon and the boys struggled to adjust their eyes to the light. The elf placed a water bottle in each of their cells, and muttered a spell that caused the ropes binding them to finally fall off. Scorpius’s wrists were already red raw and sore. The elf also placed a larger container in each of their cells which Scorpius thought he knew what that might be for. Great, so they weren’t going to be released any time soon. Without saying a word the elf turned and left them again in darkness. Scorpius was parched, so hurried over to the water and started gulping it down. To his relief, it was self-refilling. Albus however had an annoying streak of pride in him that prevented him from even wanting a drop. He wasn’t surprised when Scorpius told him to drink it, but likewise Scorpius understood Albus and knew it was a lost cause. He also respected the hell out of him for it. After he had drank enough, he picked up his bottle and retreated back to the wall of the cell (a difficult task in darkness, even though it was only several feet), and put his hand through the bars into Albus’s cell. Albus was sat with his back to the wall, arms wrapped around his legs. As if by magic though, he felt Scorpius move his arm through the bars, and placed his hand on Scorpius’s forearm. Both boys were comforted by the proximity, and for a while Scorpius stopped shivering. If he closed his eyes now, it was almost like they were sat outside in the grass of the Potters’ back garden, sun streaming through them, safe.   
Scorpius must have fallen asleep like this, because when he woke he was shivering again and Merlin he ached from the cold floor and wall. His arm was still in Albus’s cell, and rather embarrassingly he was holding onto the sleeve of Albus’s hoodie. He didn’t want to let go though. He could feel Albus, feel his warmth, and knew he was there with him, sleeping beside him. If he let go he could be all alone in this darkness. It took him hours to fall back into an uneasy sleep.   
When Albus woke to find Scorpius shivering in his sleep, he tried to reach his arm through the bars and around Scorp’s shoulders. It wasn’t much, but it was the best he could do. Scorpius had always been more sensitive to the cold, being more lanky and less stockier than Albus. Thank Merlin Albus had been wearing a hoodie that day. Deciding that Scorpius’s need was greater, he pulled off his hoodie and placed it over Scorpius.   
After a few more hours, it seemed to Albus, the door suddenly burst open, and the cells were flooded with light. He felt Scorpius jump beside him, waking up, and, realising he was holding Scorpius’s hand he withdrew it instead to shield his eyes from the visual assault of the open door.   
“Lumos maxima! Rise and shine Albus,” Rowle taunted him. Before Albus could retort, Rowle had unlocked the door to his cell, entered, put down a stall and locked the cell behind him closed again. He was now locked in with Albus while another Death Eater stood guard outside with the keys. Rowle flicked his wand again and this time chains sprung up around Albus’s ankles, attaching to the far wall, so Albus couldn’t close the distance between them even if he’d wanted to. Scorpius was still holding onto his arm. Bit much, he thought, as Albus was still at down and completely unarmed.  
“Right, this is how it’s going to go. You’re going to write this letter for me, detailing what exactly I want from your father. You’ll give me your address, and you’ll do so honestly, or he gets it.” He pointed his wand at Scorpius.   
Despite being terrified Scorpius couldn’t help but laugh internally at the extreme déjà vu he was experiencing right now. He squeezed Albus’s arm to let him know that he’s okay.  
“Fine” Albus said without breaking eye contact with Rowle.  
Smiling, Rowle reached back to the other Death Eater and handed Albus a quill and piece of parchment. Next he handed him a manuscript, which Albus read with a puzzled expression.  
“If you’ve already written it why do you want me to rewrite it?” Albus threw at Rowle, full of disdain.   
Rowle frowned at him, full of impatience and hatred. “Just do it you little fucker. Coming from you it will have a much nicer impact on big Daddy Potter.”  
Albus unfortunately had to agree with him. It was a good tactic. He took a deep breath, and began to write.


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny didn’t know what to do. The boys had been gone too long. She knew something was wrong. They’d left at about five, but it was now gone ten and they still hadn’t returned. Albus had said they’d be back soon. Something must have happened to them. She forced herself to swallow her panic, and sent James to look for them in the park while she owled Harry at work. When her worst fear was realized and James had returned without them, she just sat down at the kitchen table. No tears came. That would imply her overriding emotion was sadness, but it wasn’t. It was sheer blind panic. Being the wife of Harry Potter was always going to be tricky. He had made so many enemies being The Boy Who Lived. Not to mention the press were still obsessed with them even after all these years. Keeping their address a secret was not the only sacrifice she’d had to make when she’d chosen this life. But their kids? They were the ones who’d had to sacrifice the most. She loved Harry and she never regretted choosing him, or resented him for any of the struggles they faced due to his fame, but even more so than other families, they’d always feared about the safety of their children. Specifically, somebody using one of them to get to Harry. All these insecurities started flooding back to Ginny and for a minute she was frozen solid.   
James strode toward her wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll find them,” he said.  
Barely a minute later Harry appeared in the fireplace, looking as panicked as Ginny felt. Shortly after they had hugged and Ginny filled him in properly, Harry sent his aurors out searching. He also sent a patronus to Draco. Draco had appeared in their fireplace not one minute later, fully dressed despite the lateness of the hour, livid.   
“I just knew something like this would happen” he snarled at Harry. “I’m thrilled Scorpius found a friend but by Merlin how I wished he’d picked anyone else other than a Potter.” Neither Harry or Ginny could reply to this statement; they both knew Draco was right. There was always the chance anyone close to Albus could get hurt in peoples’ pursuit of Harry, and it had been proven two years ago when Delphi had kidnapped them and tortured Scorpius. And now here they were again. Things were what they were, and everyone knew it.   
“Is there a chance they’ve just run away again?” Harry asked to the room, feeling like he was the least qualified person to know the answer.  
“No” both Ginny and Draco replied at the same time.  
“Scorpius would never just run away again.”  
“And Albus- Harry he’s been trying so hard this summer to have a better relationship with you, why would he just give up?”  
Harry was full of remorse. “Maybe if I’d just come home early today this would never have happened! It’s all my fault! Ginny I’ve been working too hard, once again valuing something else over time spent with Albus. All I ever do is let him down!”  
“Hmff” Draco sounded from the kitchen corner.  
“Harry, how many times am I going to say this in my lifetime? This is not your fault. Albus was annoyed you couldn’t make it back tonight but he wasn’t hurt or upset. Something’s happened to him that neither of us could control!” Ginny was so amazing, Harry wondered what he’s ever done to deserve her.   
That was the longest night of all of their lives.  
After a sleepless night congregated around the Potters’ kitchen table, the three parents were wondering what the hell they were going to do today, with still no trace of Albus or Scorpius.  
They were all roused from their stupurs by an unknown owl. It flew to the window ledge and Ginny ran to get the letter, heart pounding. None of them were expecting it to have anything to do with Albus and Scorpius being missing, because if there was any news, they would either have been sent a patronus or been firecalled. But none of them could help hoping.   
When Ginny saw it was addressed to them in Albus’s handwriting, she thought she must have been wrong. Albus must have run away after all. He was clearly safe if he was able and willing to write them a letter. All these feelings in a single second. “It’s Albus’s handwriting.”   
“What are you waiting for? Open it.” Draco sounded angry.  
Harry took the letter from Ginny and sat down at the table. He opened the letter and out fell Albus’s wand. Confused, he read it in silence. When he had finished, he looked sick. Ginny and Draco ran to read the letter, but Harry had already got up, grabbed a handful of floo powder, and vanished in the fireplace. The letter read;

Harry Potter,  
It may have come to your attention that your son did not return home last night. I’d tell you not to worry, but I couldn’t say that with a clear conscience. I have your son. And I’d be worried if I were you. Because you see, I need something from you before we can even talk about you seeing him again. Augustus Rowle is sitting in Azkaban. He needs to walk free before I even think about letting Potter Junior go. The longer it takes for you to make this happen, the longer your son will suffer at my hand. I’m making him write this as proof that this is not a hoax. Also enclosed is his wand. Look after it, that’s the last part of him you’re going to see until Augustus Rowle is released from Azkaban. 

Ginny just stared. She picked up Albus’s wand and brought it close to her chest.   
“He’s alive.” Draco was trying to reassure her. “He wrote this. He’s alive.” In truth, Draco had no clue what to say. What are you supposed to say in this situation? And why was there no mention of Scorpius? Had he been killed? A spare, just like Cedric Diggory? Oh the universe was poetic at times. The very boy Scorpius had tried to help save two years ago may in fact have had the same fate as his son. Draco wanted to be sick.  
“Yes,” Ginny replied. For now, that’s all she could say. She was also painfully aware that Scorpius was not mentioned once in the letter. Incapable of saying anything, she moved her hand on top of Draco’s on the table. They were both taken aback by this, but in that moment of bleakness it felt strangely right. Not comforting, for neither were consolable, but just… right.   
Suddenly, Harry arrived back in the fireplace.   
“What did you do?” Ginny asked urgently.  
“He told the ministry. He’s come back for the letter,” it was Draco who replied.   
“What? Harry! Don’t- don’t you understand? You have to release this man! You can’t tell them about it! He’ll kill Albus!”  
“Ginny,” Harry tried to explain to his wife, “if I could, I would, you know that. But this… what he’s asking is impossible. I could never solely release Augustus Rowle. He’s got a lifetime sentence! And neither could I break him out! The ministry knows Albus is missing, the press is all over it. How suspicious would that look? Besides, this brother, he’d most likely see Rowle is released and immediately kill Albus!”  
“But… Hermione! She’ll help, she’s on our side!”  
“Ginny listen to me. There’s no way. Hermione is Minister, but she has nothing to do with cases like these. I have more influence in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement than she does, seeing as I’m the head!”  
“But the Ministry will never make a deal with terrorists!”   
“I know. Our only option is to be honest. My team of Aurors will find them. We have the whole might of the Ministry at our disposal! Ginny, I promise, we’ll find them!” Harry’s voice was desperate, but strong.  
“He’s right Ginny” supplied Draco. “It’s the only way.”


	5. Chapter 5

It had been hours. Hours. Their predicament may not have seemed so bleak if they weren’t constantly left in pitch black darkness. Or even if it had been a bit warmer, thought Scorpius. As it was, they had been left in the same state after Albus had been forced to write the letter as before. They had no clue what time it was, the house elf that had given them water the first night had not been back, but Scorpius was sure it had been at least 24 hours, making him believe it was evening. Albus still had the shackles on his ankles keeping him from moving around the cell.  
“What time do you think it is?” he asked Albus, teeth chattering.  
Albus considered this, taking his time to answer, which infuriated Scorpius. “It’s got to be evening?”  
“I wonder if we’ll get any food today” Scorpius sighed “probably not, let’s be honest” he answered his own question. They still hadn’t eaten since yesterday lunch, and Scorpius was worried about the situation. They were going to start fading, and that meant their chances of escape were significantly narrowed. Only now did it occur to Scorpius food may not actually have been considered by their captors as something they would be needing. “It takes three weeks for a human to die of starvation. Do you think it’s any different for wizards? Or is that normal for wizards, and muggles don’t last as long?”  
“I have no idea” Albus closed his eyes, smiling. He loved that Scorpius was babbling.   
“Hmm. Well I guess we’re going to find out!” he exclaimed brightly.  
Albus rolled his eyes at Scorpius’s optimism. It was so misplaced. “I bloody hope we don’t find out!”  
“Well yes, plan A would be to not find out.”  
“Don’t worry, my dad will find us. They’ll have every single auror and auror-in-training that the Ministry owns out looking for us. Remember when we were stuck in fucking 1981? They still managed to find us.”  
“Yes, but we sent them a message that time.”  
“So all we have to do is send them a message this time too!” Albus said slowly, sitting up. “Come on think, what can we use?”  
“Albus, as much as I love that you’re being so optimistic, there is literally nothing we can use. We are sat in complete darkness with nothing around us and even if we did manage to think of a message there’s no way we could get it to your dad. We are locked in.”  
Albus sighed deeply, which turned into a frustrated groan. “I swear to Merlin if we are left in here much longer I’m going to lose my mind.”  
“Yep. Although, as I said once before, if I had to choose a companion to be at the return of eternal darkness with, I’d choose you!”  
“Wow that is actually so fitting. And Scorpius? I’d choose you too you know. I never said that before.”  
“Yeah, but I knew it anyway,” Scorpius grinned.  
Albus reached through the bars and gently pushed where he knew Scorpius’s shoulder must be. Scorpius returned the shove playfully.   
“Thanks for your hoodie Albus.”  
“No problem. You need it more than I do.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Course I am, you’ve got no meat on you! As long as you fatten up when we get out of this…”  
“Thanks.”  
****************************************************  
It was some hours later, and they’d both drifted off leaning against each other through the bars. Albus had felt Scorpius shivering the entire time. Suddenly-  
“Wakey wakey Albus!”   
Rowle was back, and it filled Albus with fear. He sounded far too excited. Scorpius was still sleeping. He didn’t know whether he should wake him, but the sudden influx of light into their cells did that for him. Scorpius grabbed Albus’s arm, really helpfully conveying his fear for Albus too. Once again, Albus looked defiantly at Rowle and didn’t break eye contact as Rowle entered the cell. Rowle muttered some kind of charm that Albus had never heard before. Holy shit, this isn’t good.   
“Morning Albus!” Rowle repeated. And then, all of a sudden, the most excruciating pain Albus had ever experienced in his life. He couldn’t think about anything else but pain. He had no idea what was happening to him, he just wanted it to end, he wanted to die, he wanted Rowle to kill him, for the briefest moment he hoped Scorpius would put him out of his misery and kill him himself, seeing as this was clearly a twisted game Rowle was playing. The pain went on for hours, or was it only a few seconds? He could hear himself screaming, crying, pleading, anything for the pain to stop… He heard Scorpius’s voice yelling, almost as loud as his own…. And then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Blissful relief. He gasped, tasting the air of the dungeon once more, feeling the cold stone floor beneath him, grounding him.   
He just lay there, gasping, shaking, a pitiful mess on the floor. He could hear Rowle talking, but couldn’t make sense of his words… “An incentive for the fast release of my brother-”  
“No-” Albus realised what was going on, and wasn’t going to let this man use him anymore. “Don’t do it-” But he couldn’t continue, the pain was back. Shorter this time, but just as debilitating and exhausting. He dared not speak again. Even if he wanted, he was unable to form words; he was on the verge of passing out… Rowle was talking… He heard Scorpius shouting his name… He wanted to shout back… But he simply couldn’t. It took all his energy to just lie there and not pass out.   
Scorpius was horrified. He was shouting at the top of his lungs at Rowle to stop. “Stop! Albus! Please! Please stop! Albus…” Merlin it was the longest ten seconds of his life. Now he finally understood what Albus must have gone through seeing Scorpius tortured. It was comparable to the Cruciatus curse itself. Finally Rowle relented and Albus was released, gasping for air, breathless from screaming. And then he had to go and antagonize Rowle even more. When Rowle finally stopped this time Albus was still. Scorpius had his heart in his mouth, helpless to do anything from the other side of these bars. He tried to reach through and pull Albus towards him. For a heart-stopping moment he thought Albus was dead. Then he saw his eyes were half open, clinging to consciousness. He grabbed Albus’s wrist through the bars and felt like crying with relief at the pulse. He tried to make him comfortable, pulling off Albus’s green hoodie that he himself had been wearing since the first night, and folding it into a pillow. Then he took off his thin jacket and laid it over Albus. He didn’t even notice what Rowle was doing until then, when suddenly he was plunged back into darkness and realised Rowle must have left. He didn’t know what else to do, and suddenly reality came crashing down on him. “Albus…” Realising he was crying he furiously wiped his eyes on his t-shirt.   
Water. Thinking about it, he realised Albus still hadn’t had any since the day before yesterday. He cursed himself for not realising sooner and with shaking hands he located his bottle and raised it to Albus’s mouth, a difficult feat in the dark. Thankfully, Albus swallowed. Scorpius removed the bottle, not wanting to make him sick. He crawled into a ball next to him, shivering, and reached his arm around him. “Albus….”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for Draco having brief suicidal thoughts!

It was the morning of the third day. The atmosphere in the Potter house had not changed since that first night. Ginny was painfully aware that Albus had been missing now for two nights, and every hour that passed felt like he was slipping further and further away from her. Draco had spent most of the previous day after they had received the letter at their house, but had returned to his home for that night. Today, he had arrived at their house in the early morning, even though he knew that if there was any news Ginny or Harry would have sent him a patronus immediately. Truth be told, Draco couldn’t stand being alone in the Manor. Not now he knew his son was missing, possibly dead. He thought he couldn’t handle it, and was worried he simply wouldn’t. If there were people around him, he could stay grounded, and focused on things like what he was going to say to Scorpius when he saw him again. If he saw him again. Whenever he realized that Scorpius may in fact be lying lifeless somewhere far away, Draco just wanted to die. He couldn’t bare it. If his son was gone, he was gone too. Scorpius was all Draco had. He was literally everything, after Astoria died. Draco couldn’t deal with it if Scorpius left him too. A large part of him wanted to start making plans if that did turn out to be the case. But whenever he thought about it he reminded himself not to give up on Scorpius. If he wasn’t dead already, he was alive and fighting, Draco knew it.  
These thoughts continued to swirl around Draco’s brain all day sat at the Potters’ kitchen. Until he was pulled from his reverie by an owl tapping at the window, which made him jump tenfold. Immediately Ginny ran to let it in. It was a howler. It was addressed to Harry, which meant it would only open once he arrived, and they would only be able to hear it once. She sent her gleaming silver horse to tell Harry, and a few minutes later, he was there, along with two aurors from his department, who quickly cast charms that would be able to record the message before the Howler exploded.  
Ginny moved to Harry’s side. “Are you ready?”  
Harry just took a breath and nodded.  
The Howler began to quiver, and suddenly it ripped open, and words filled the kitchen.  
“Morning Albus!”  
And then the most horrific sound Harry had ever heard in his life. It was unmistakably Albus. But he couldn’t put the two together. Albus, and this noise, they were incompatible. Albus was incapable of screaming so hard, he had to be. This couldn’t be real.  
Except it was. That was his son screaming in agony. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Albus stopped.  
“How are you doing Harry? I thought this would be an incentive for the fast release of my brother-”  
“No- Don’t do it-” Albus! Harry’s heart did something it had never done before upon hearing his son, just seconds after being Crucioed, defying his captor. His voice was hoarse, Harry pictured him lying on some floor, bent double, as the curse made you want to lie afterwards. But suddenly the screaming was back, and his son was being tortured again. He focused instead on Scorpius shouting in the background, begging the man to stop. Then silence.  
“That’s really sweet of you Albus, but Potter Senior. If you want to see your son again, I wouldn’t listen to him, unless you want a repeat of today’s fiasco. Furthermore, they’re not getting food until I see my brother walk free. So maybe now you’ll realise I’m not fucking around.”  
The Howler shredded itself.  
There was silence in the kitchen. No one knew what to say. Harry and Ginny just stood, staring at nothing. After a moment one of the two aurors ended the recording charm. Neither knew what to do. They thought that it should probably be one of them to break the silence - say a word of comfort, assure Mr Potter they’d find him, but they knew whatever they said would be meaningless.  
It was Draco who first made a sound. A moan of happiness. His son was alive, he’d heard it. Scorpius was alive. That was all he needed. “Kingston, Urquhart. Can you track this Howler?” He addressed the aurors.  
“We’ll have to take what remains of it into the Ministry. We recorded the message obviously and now it will be our department’s job to scrutinise it, and try and listen for anything that may give us a clue as to their whereabouts.” Kingston replied reassuringly. Draco cringed.  
Urquhart continued, “what’s crucial is we now know their captor’s identity. He revealed he’s the brother of Augustus Rowle. Vladimir Rowle, the man we’ve been trying to recapture for a month now.”  
“Do you think you can find them?” Draco asked firmly, with only the slightest trace of desperation.  
“We hope so.” Replied the first auror, Kingston. “We have to get back to the Ministry. You’ll hear immediately of any updates.” And with that, they stepped back into the fireplace.  
Draco took a seat. He didn’t know what to say to Harry or Ginny. This letter was a godsend for him, he now knew his son was alive. But for them… They already knew Albus was alive but hearing him tortured… He guessed now they knew how he had felt when Scorpius had told him he’d been tortured two years ago, his beautiful son barely staving off a breakdown as he told him. Draco knew the after effects of the curse well. Panic attacks, nightmares… Scorpius was still suffering.  
“They’ll find him.” It was Ginny’s soft voice.  
“I know,” was all Harry was able to reply back.


	7. Chapter 7

Scorpius could hear Albus’s breathing. Long and laboured. Suddenly the pain and frustration of the past two days threatened to overcome him. Pain, frustration, and now anger. Anger at this man, for taking them, and keeping them here, in this godforsaken place, in complete darkness. Anger for his dad, who must be out of his mind with worry. But most of all, anger for Albus, his sweet best friend, who’d done nothing to anyone, who wouldn’t hurt a fly, who didn’t deserve this, but who was now lying passed out on the floor next to him. In a fit of rage and indignation, Scorpius half moaned, half screamed, tears starting to come, and he crawled away from Albus towards the front of his cell. “HEY!” he shouted, “Let us out!” he grabbed the bars and started rattling them, as if that would do any good. Whimpering undignified, he heard Albus’s voice. Shoot, he must have woken him. Crawling back to his spot beside Albus he put his arm through the bars on Albus’s back, so they were lying face to face. “Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake you!”  
“S’okay. We’ll be ok.”  
Oh Merlin, how was it that Albus was the one comforting Scorpius? “We have to do something. Anything!” But Scorpius realised Albus was already sleeping again, judging by his breathing. With Albus back asleep, Scorpius felt his heart melt. Suddenly, he didn’t want to do this without Albus, and felt his frustration melt away, and with it his motivation for escape. He must be going mad, he wasn’t in the right headspace. The hunger pains were starting to get real now. Neither of them had eaten a crumb in at least two days. Possibly three. It had been hours since Rowle had entered. Scorpius had presumed it was morning when he came in, but thinking about it, it may well not have been. This must be part of their plan, Scorpius thought. Leaving us in the dark so we have no idea what time it is, or even what day it is. He hadn’t been expecting it, but his circadian rhythm was already shot to bits, and he knew Albus’s was too. Right now he had no idea whether it was even day or night.  
And then there was the cold. He’d given Albus back his hoodie to use as a pillow and covered him in his jacket, leaving Scorpius in only his t-shirt. Albus needed it more, but Scorpius couldn’t deny, he was really worried now about hypothermia. He had thankfully still been shivering during the immediate aftermath of Albus’s torture, because he knew that when his body stopped trying to keep him warm, it would start shutting down. Now, he realised, he had stopped shivering. Combined with zero calories over the past (at least) 48 hours, Scorpius knew real hypothermia was starting to set in. Combined with the hunger pains and aching body, Scorpius just wanted to crawl in a ball next to Albus and sleep. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he knew sleeping would be dangerous right now, but he was confused, he didn’t really know anything, it may not have been that long. He just wanted the pain to end.  
Some time after, Albus woke up slowly. The first thing he noticed was how much his body hurt. The cruciatus curse felt like it had left huge bruises all over his body. He also noticed he was lying on something soft, which puzzled him. Sitting up, he felt it was his own hoodie he’d lent Scorpius, and Scorpius’s jacket was draped over him. He suddenly became aware he couldn’t feel Scorpius shaking. Scorpius. He immediately grabbed his friend’s arm. “Scorp?” No response. Shaking him now, “Scorpius? Scorpius!” But Scorpius wasn’t waking up. “Oh my God, Scorp, please! Wake up!” But there was nothing. He pulled Scorpius’s head closer to the bars and tried to listen for his breathing. Thank fuck. It was there. But Scorpius was still unresponsive. “Help!” He made to crawl to front of his cell, but cursed out loud when he realised he was still shackled to the wall. No one was going to come. He threw both jacket and hoodie over Scorpius, and pulled his entire body close to the bars, trying desperately to transfer some of his body heat. It was so bloody typical of Scorpius to literally give the shirt off his back to someone else who needed it, not caring about himself. He was so selfless. Albus had never felt more helpless. There was nothing else he could do. No one could hear him, even if he shouted his lungs out. Besides, he thought he barely had the energy himself to do anything other than cradle Scorpius’s body through the bars and cry. He already felt sleep pulling him down again. His last thought was praying that his dad would find them, soon.


	8. Chapter 8

It was the best news he’d ever heard. Well, he had to remind himself that it wasn’t a guarantee. However, it was the best lead they’d come up with. When interrogated with veritaserum an old aunt of Vladimir Rowle’s had told Harry and his aurors of a safehouse that she knew the Death Eaters had used during the first wizarding war, and it was very likely Rowle was hiding out there. Harry scribled an owl to Ginny, telling her to stay home, and sent a patronus to Draco, who immediately flooed into his office.   
“Draco. We think we’ve found them.”  
“Well what are we waiting for? Why are we not already on our way?” Angry, as usual.  
“Draco we literally just found out, the aurors are assembling, we’ll have a briefing, and then we will go.”  
Realising that he was being invited along on the Ministry’s raid, which normally would never happen, Draco calmed down. He nodded. “Thank you.”  
Harry smiled feebly. “Of course, he’s your son.”  
They hurried down to the Auror Assembly office, and watched as Kingston briefed the team. “Is everyone clear? Does anyone have any questions?” The twelve or so aurors shook their heads, looking ready. “Today’s raid is incredibly important. Not only could we catch Rowle at long last, but, unusually, we have the task of retrieving two hostages. Obviously there is a personal connection here,” he gestured to Harry, “but I know that the fact that one of the hostages is the Head of our department’s son will not impact any of our professional judgements. I know we all want nothing more than for this to go as smooth and successfully as possible, and I trust every one of you to make that happen. Ok, let’s rumble.”  
Kingston lead the way, seconded by Harry, then the aurors and Draco. Kingston and Harry led them to the apparition room, which had just been cleared for their departure. They each concentrated on the destination, and turned on the spot.   
***************************************************  
Albus was so tired. He was so hungry and in pain. Everything sucked. He was still holding Scorpius, who was probably dying. He felt so cold. All he could do was pray for a miracle. He was exhausted. A noise sounded above him. Then it got closer - someone was coming down the stairs. He was immediately filled with terror. Please, no, not now he thought. Rowle was coming back, he knew it. Sure enough, the door burst open and light flooded the room. Albus was prepared for the visual assault, and shielded his eyes, blinded. It must have been 24 hours since that door last opened. “Please, help Scorpius! He’s dying!” His voice was hoarse, but he croaked the words out anyway, not expecting Rowle to even grace him with a response. He was still shielding his eyes, unable to see, but he heard someone say “Oh Merlin”. It wasn’t Rowle’s voice, must be one of the other Death Eaters. Were they actually surprised? What the hell were they expecting? “Please, help him-” He was going to ask them to let Scorpius go, but words failed him as he heard the cell opening and someone coming in. Oh God.  
“Albus?!” He braced himself for another round, but instead suddenly the figure was on him, around him, hugging him? And then it dawned on him. He knew it was his Dad. “Albus, it’s ok, I’m here, I’m here, you’re fine.”  
He was so shocked, he couldn’t comprehend… Maybe he was dreaming. “Scorpius- help him-”  
“Shh, it’s okay, we’ve got him, we’ve got you both.” His dad was still hugging him, and it hit him that they really had been found. His dad pulled away to look at him.  
“Dad?”   
“Yes, I’m here, it’s going to be fine.”  
Albus couldn’t hang on anymore. It’s like his dad gave him permission to pass out. He was so exhausted, he felt himself leaning forward into his dad, and then nothing else.


	9. Chapter 9

It was one of the worst scenes of Harry’s life. He thought he could imagine the scene that greeted him behind the door from the staircase into the dungeon, but he was wrong. Kingston entered first, surveying the scene, but he heard his son’s voice come from within.  
“Please, help Scorpius! He’s dying!”  
That was him, Albus, but it didn’t sound like him. Not really. He rushed forwards past Kingston into the room. He could barely see it was so dark, the light from behind them being the only source. However, unmistakably there was Albus. He was shielding his eyes, in the far right corner of a barred cell. He’d found him. “Alohomora” he whispered.   
“Please, help him-” Albus was still saying as he practically tore the door off, and ran over to him. He could see his ankles were shackled to the wall by chains, and threw his arms around him. “Albus, it’s ok, I’m here, I’m here, you’re fine” he tried desperately to comfort his son, while assessing the damage.   
“Scorpius- help him-” Harry’s heart swelled, even in the state he was in; Albus’s first concern was Scorpius. Realising that Albus wasn’t in any immediate danger, Harry looked down through the bars on Albus’s right, and saw Scorpius through them, unresponsive, face covered in dried blood, his son’s arm still wrapped around him. He didn’t convey it to Albus but the scene didn’t look good. “Shh, it’s okay, we’ve got him, we’ve got you both.” He pulled away to look at his son properly. He was covered in sweat and grime, but underneath he was pale and looked almost… hollow. He was also struggling to keep his eyes open, whether because of the light, or because he was so exhausted, Harry couldn’t tell.   
“Dad?” It looked like every effort was costing the boy.  
“Yes, I’m here, it’s going to be fine.” With that, Albus’s eyes closed and he started to fall forwards into Harry. Harry just stayed there, hugging him. “Get Draco!” He called to Kingston. “And alert St Mungo’s!”  
A minute later Draco had been allowed to enter and he rushed over into Scorpius’s cell. “Scorpius?” He pulled his son’s unconscious form into his arms, desperately listening for breathing. “I can’t hear anything! He’s not breathing! Oh my god, Scorpius!”  
“We need to get them to St. Mungo’s!” Harry shouted. “Stay calm, Draco, he’ll be okay!”  
Draco was sobbing into Scorpius’s shoulder, but managed to pick Scorpius up, choosing to carry him instead of using a hover charm. A couple of other aurors rushed down the stairs to help, and Harry followed, carrying his own son up the stairs. The aurors at the top had conjured stretchers, and Harry reluctantly laid his son down, hastily following Draco outside the house to where they knew they’d be able to apparate to St. Mungo’s.


	10. Chapter 10

The first thing Albus was aware of was that he was lying on soft sheets, and he was warm. It felt nice for a few seconds, until he remembered what had happened. He made to open his eyes and sit up, but his body wasn’t really responding as fast as usual. Instead, he blinked a few times and eventually stirred in his bed. Opening his eyes, he saw he was in a hospital bed in an unknown room. Before he could take in any more than this though, his mum was in front of him.  
“What happened?” He couldn’t really remember much, like he’d been asleep for 100 years.  
“Can’t you remember? Your dad raided the place where you were being kept, we got you out.”  
At this, things started flooding back. Well, one thing in particular. “Scorpius! Where is he mum, is he ok?” He sat up.  
“Relax, he’s fine. He was in a much worse state than you when we found you. Advanced stages of hypothermia. He’s fine now though!” She saw Albus wasn’t looking particularly comforted by this news. “The healers have been warming him up, but he’s still not woken up yet as far as I know.”  
Albus nodded. “Um… what day is it? How long have I been out?”  
“It’s Saturday morning. Your dad found you yesterday.” She could see Albus trying to fit the pieces together. “You’d been in there since Monday evening.”  
“Holy shit,” he laughed in spite of himself.  
“You were so dehydrated, Albus, we were so worried…”  
At that moment, Albus saw his dad walk in. “Albus! Are you ok, how are you feeling?”  
“I feel fine dad.” Despite all his hopes, it came out awkward.  
Harry seemed to have noticed. Albus looked at him, inviting, willing him to ignore it. Then Harry reached in and hugged him tight. “I love you son.”  
“I love you too dad.” They pulled apart. “I want to see Scorpius,” Albus said to no one in particular.  
Harry and Ginny looked at each other, unsure. It was Ginny who spoke. “Albus, you’re supposed to be resting, you’re still on fluids…” Sure enough, Albus became aware that his right arm was hooked up on a drip. “And Scorpius, he’s not even awake yet, it won’t do any good.” Albus looked at his mum with fire in his eyes. Ginny understood this was something he needed to do. She looked at Harry, who was clearly about to oppose the idea. “I think it would be better for now to let Draco be with him, ” Albus couldn’t understand why she was being so unhelpful.  
“Well tough.” Albus ripped the line out of his arm (which was more painful than he’d thought), and swung his legs off the bed, determined to see Scorpius. He watched as his parents dithered, daring them to force him back into the bed. Neither of them made a move, so he started walking to the door. He barely made it without stumbling, to be honest. He turned back. “Um, where is he?”  
Ginny sighed, but got up and took a hold of his upper arm, guiding him the right way. As it turned out Scorpius was in a room just down the hall, but the door was closed. Albus could see Scorpius lying in the bed through the window. Draco sat next to him, facing the door. Albus looked to his mum, hoping she would get the message and make herself busy elsewhere. Thankfully, she was an astute woman, and got the message. She smiled reassuringly at Albus before turning and leaving him.  
Albus knocked gingerly. Draco looked up and came to the door. Heart pounding, Albus suddenly worried Draco would be annoyed at the interruption. On the contrary, Draco smiled as he open the door.  
“Albus.”  
“Hi Mr Malfoy. Um, would it be alright if I saw him?”  
“I wondered how long it would take you,” but he was smiling. “I think I’ll go and get a coffee.” He stood back and let Albus enter, closing the door behind him.  
Albus was grateful for the privacy. He’d been alone with Scorpius for so long, he vaguely wondered whether he was going to form some kind of attachment disorder. That’d be just his luck. It already felt strange to be away from him, but Albus knew that was because they’d literally just gotten out. He crossed the room and took Draco’s seat beside Scorpius. He reached for his best friend’s hand.  
“Scorpius?” No answer. Obviously. Albus shook himself mentally. After a moment, he didn’t know what to do, so he just started talking. “I’m sorry Scorp. Once again this is all my fault. I know what you’d say, of course. That I had no way of knowing this could happen, or any way of preventing it. But it is my fault. Rowle wanted me.” He started to feel tears behind his eyes now. Barely holding them back, and continued. “You were just with me. Eugh, this whole thing is so screwed up!” he vented. “I’m sorry Scorp. If anything had happened to you... I couldn’t handle it. You’re my best friend... And I love you.” He’d never said that before. Strangely, it felt like he’d been needing to say it for a long time and he felt relieved it was finally out. He buried his head on his arm on Scorpius’s bed.  
“I love you too.”  
Scorpius’s voice was muffled, he sounded tired but Albus could hear the smile in his voice. Albus looked up, terrified Scorp had heard him. They locked eyes.  
“Ever since I first saw you on the train, and you stayed for my sweets.”  
“Oh my god Scorp!” Albus couldn’t help grinning, tears behind his eyes. Albus was delighted Scorpius was awake and seemingly fine, but he knew he couldn’t trust what he was saying right now, he was probably drugged up on all sorts of potions and calming drafts. “How do you feel?”  
“‘M alight.”  
“Your dad was here. Do you want me to go and get him?”  
“No. Stay with me.” Scorpius wanted Albus to be much, much closer than he was. He grabbed Albus’s arm closer with the hand that wasn’t already holding Albus’s, so Albus was uncomfortable just sitting next to him.  
“My God Scorp” Albus smiled outside and in. He knew what Scorpius wanted. He himself had had many a fantasy about what he’d like to have done with Scorpius if they hadn’t been separated by bars these past few days.  
Scorpius rolled over to make room for Albus, and before he could stop himself Albus climbed into Scorpius’s bed. Scorp was facing away from him, but Albus knew he was smiling. A small part of his brain was telling him this was a bad idea, what if their parents walked in? But as half of him was convinced it was platonic, he didn’t seem to care what anyone else thought. Maybe he’d been given a calming draft himself, he thought vaguely, because he would never have done this normally. But before he could think much more about it, he fell asleep next to his best friend, the most content he’d been in a long time.


	11. The Sequel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Albus and Scorpius being discovered....
> 
> Warnings for pining/angst (being on the verge of panic attacks), but there is happy ending!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've got this far, thank you! I couldn't figure out how to post this as a sequel so instead it's just a huge 7k chapter at the end! The pacing is much slower in this, because there's not really a plot, I just wanted to imagine what would happen afterwards. Cue lots of pining, angsty Scorbus, and my first time writing proper fluff at the end.

**Albus**  
It was a sunny day, Albus could tell. The light streaming in through the hospital window was lighting up all the dust particles in the air. He’d always liked whenever that happened. It made it feel like the day was going to be a good day. He was still incredibly sore all over from the Cruciatus, and he hadn’t realized it at first, but the curse did actually leave large dark bruises where it hit your body. And so the entire left side of Albus’s torso was now almost black. Funny, the first thing he thought when he’d noticed it was _what would Scorpius think_? Which was completely ridiculous. _Or come to think of it, was it_?  
They’d been friends for years – best friends, still were of course, - but now he couldn’t deny something had changed between them. He felt anxious whenever Scorpius wasn’t there (like right now), and when he was there, he wanted to be far closer to him than it seemed society would expect. Last night had proven that.  
He wasn’t really sure what had happened, to be honest. It was all still a bit foggy, and Albus had come to the conclusion that yes, when he’d woken up yesterday for the first time since being captured and held hostage by a violent escaped Death Eater, he had definitely been at least somewhat drugged up with calming drafts. Probably other potions too to help with the pain. But that didn’t mean he regretted getting in Scorpius’s hospital bed and falling asleep beside him. He definitely did _not_ regret that. Scorpius’s presence was just calming. He felt safe with him. And he wanted the opportunity to explore what else he could feel if he were even closer to Scorpius… _Stop_. Whenever his train of thought led him this way, he just felt confused. It wasn’t normal to have those kinds of thoughts about your best friend. Your _male_ best friend at that.  
He presumed they’d been discovered like that, sleeping together on the one narrow hospital bed, but even now he didn’t know for sure, because when he had next woken up it was much later in the evening and they were still alone. He’d swung his legs off the side of the still sleeping Scorpius’s bed, and then decided he didn’t really want to leave. Or couldn’t leave. So he just sat like that for a while, until Ginny came in and suggested he move back to his own bed for a better night’s sleep.  
Thinking about it now, Albus supposed there was no way none of their parents had checked on them in all the time they’d been asleep together, and so now everything was extremely awkward. Especially with Harry. Albus hadn’t seen his dad that night, but when he came to visit him that morning, it was like he was expecting Albus to say something about it - explain himself, but Albus simply didn’t have an explanation. Was his dad expecting him to _come out_ or something? Probably, and Albus realized it looked very much that way, but that just wasn’t right. He and Scorpius… they weren’t _together_.  
He was interrupted in this very confusing train of thought by his mum coming in again. Good, hopefully this meant he was ready to be discharged.  
“Hi honey, that’s it, you’re all ready, Healer Stubbins just said.”  
Albus ran his hand through his overly long hair but didn’t say anything. He sort of had mixed feelings about leaving this place, and they were all to do with the fact that Scorpius was staying behind.  
“Okay,” he was already dressed in his Muggle attire, and swung his legs off the bed. “Um, do you think I could say goodbye to Scorpius?”  
Albus cringed, embarrassed about last night and what everyone must be thinking. Any mention of Scorpius from now on and it was going to be awkward. Great.  
But if Ginny felt the same, she certainly didn’t show it.  
“Of course you can honey,” there wasn’t even a flicker of awkwardness, _Merlin_ , his mum was awesome. “So how are you feeling?”  
She moved over to help Albus as he got out of bed (even though he didn’t really need help), and watched as he grabbed his bag with all his stuff that his parents had bought him for his brief two night stay at St Mungo’s.  
“I’m alright, I’m honestly just sore.”  
Ginny looked at him knowingly. Thinking about it, he knew his dad had been Crucioed before, (he couldn’t remember the history very well, even if he had wanted to read all about how his dad had saved the Wizarding world) and it seemed to make sense that Ginny would know what he was going through.  
“That will get better, Healer Stubbins says it takes a few days for the pain to ease, and a few weeks for the bruising to fade.”  
Albus nodded as he passed her out the door, giving the room a final sweeping look to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. He knew all this of course, the Healers had explained it to him, but also he remembered Scorpius going through it after the whole thing with Delphi.  
“Come on, say goodbye to Scorpius then and we’ll be on our way” his mum put a gentle hand on his back as they approached Scorpius’s room, just down the corridor.  
Albus knocked on the open door, his face breaking into a grin when he saw Scorpius was awake. _Merlin_ , why he was so happy all of a sudden? Realizing he was looking like an idiot in front of Draco, who was sat with Scorpius and reading the latest Daily Prophet, he forced his face into a more restrained expression of happiness.  
“Hi Scorp!”  
“ _Albussss_!” Scorpius was just grinning back at him, eugh it was so hard to remain composed right now. He looked good – of course he’d looked healthier, but at least his nose wasn’t broken anymore. Besides, his smile seemed to light up the whole room.  
“Hello Albus,” Mr. Malfoy spoke. He couldn’t help but notice a twitch at the side of his mouth.  
“Hi Mr. Malfoy.” He ran his hand through his hair, embarrassed, and turned his attention back to his best friend, who was sitting up in bed and who hadn’t taken his eyes off him. “Scorp, we just came to say goodbye. I’m discharged now.”  
Scorpius pouted, and he looked genuinely sad that Albus was leaving the hospital. “So you’re leaving me here on my own? What am I going to do for entertainment? This place is so boring!” he whined.  
“Hmph” Draco interrupted slyly, looking up from the Prophet. “On your own? What am I, a ghost? And you have plenty of books to get through.”  
Scorpius looked back to Albus.  
“It’s only one more night, hopefully” Albus reassured him. It was true, if Scorpius recovered well from his hypothermia today and tonight they’d been assured he could leave tomorrow. It seemed like it was an unspoken assumption that Scorpius would spend the night he was released at the Potters’. At least Albus desperately hoped it was. He leaned over and hugged Scorpius, which was awkward because he still had his rucksack on. Scorpius grasped him tightly anyway.  
Pulling away, Albus said “You’ll be fine” in a confident, semi-reprimanding way, but he hoped Scorpius could hear the sincerity behind the words. “See you later!”  
And with that, he turned and walked to his mum, who had waited at the door, and they left the room. Why did he feel like he’d left half his heart behind?

  
Albus had only ever apparated once before, and that was when Rowle had kidnapped him and Scorpius. First-time apparition felt awful anyway, but a side-along apparition where the subject wasn’t expecting it – that was downright dangerous. His parents hadn’t wanted to take the Knight Bus either, for fear it would be ‘too much’ for Albus right now, and so he was very grateful when his parents told him they were Flooing instead of going to the usual apparition zone. However in order to floo into or out of St. Mungo’s they would have to use the office of one of the Healers – certainly not a common practice, but his dad being Harry Potter had its privileges. Five minutes later and he had stepped out the fireplace into his living room, spreading ash all over the carpet.  
“Albus!” Lily ran immediately into him, enveloping him in a hug.  
“Hi Lils” he replied with a smile. Of all his family, he’d always been closest to his baby sister.  
“Oh sorry!” She jumped back.  
Albus realized he’d squirmed when she’d run into his side. “It’s okay, honestly, come here.” He pulled her into a more comfortable position for hugging.  
They were interrupted by Harry flooing in behind them.  
“It’s good to be home,” Albus addressed mainly to Lily.  
“Do you want a drink Al?” his dad asked, already striding to the kitchen where Ginny was.  
Albus ground his teeth. When will his dad learn? It was Albus. He looked at Lily, silently communicating his annoyance. She replied with a look that said _I know, he brings it on himself_.  
“No thanks dad,” he tried but failed to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “I’m just going to my room.” He looked again at Lily to convey he was alright, otherwise he knew she’d worry, and headed up the stairs.  
It was a relief to reach his room, and the privacy and quiet it provided. Sitting down on his bed he stared around at the green walls and Slytherin paraphernalia that covered them. It dawned on him suddenly how exhausted he was. He wasn’t really sure what to do now he was home. He took his jeans off and changed into sweatpants. Then he decided just to shower. He ran a comb through his hair and brushed his teeth, despite it being eleven o’clock in the morning. He sat down again, thinking of Scorpius still stuck at St. Mungo’s. Suddenly the silence was overwhelming. It was too horribly familiar to what he’d been through with Scorpius that week. Getting up, he decided to go downstairs again and socialize with Lily. However, crossing the landing he saw her bedroom door was open, and he could hear her inside. He felt a bit like an idiot as he walked to the door, not really sure what he was expecting or even what wanted.  
“Hi.”  
“Hey Albus! Are you okay?” she looked concerned.  
Not wanting to answer that question for fear of breaking down, he said “Where’s James?”  
“He’s in his room I think, probably working up the courage to come say hi. But you didn’t answer my question. Are you okay?”  
“Yeah…” and then that thing happened when half way through speaking you realize you’re really not okay, and there’s no way to stop it coming out in your voice or face. Seeing this, Lily immediately stopped what she was doing and gestured to him to sit on her bed with her.  
“Do you want to talk about it?” She sat cross-legged on the bed, facing him.  
Albus shrugged. He supposed, yes, he did want to talk about it. He just didn’t know how to tell her that. “I just miss Scorpius.”  
“Well that much is obvious!” she rolled her eyes. “And it’s also totally okay and normal.” Her eyes shone round and bright, with an honesty Albus couldn’t help but believe. She was amazing. He looked away, tears starting to swim behind his eyes.  
“We’ve just been through so much together.” He stared at the floor, hard, determined not to cry. “It feels weird when he’s not here. It’s like I’m lost and I don’t know what to do with myself. That’s just crazy!”  
“No, Albus it’s not!” He could feel her gaze, and it was fierce. “You and Scorpius are best friends. You’re the closest people I know. I wish I had a friend like you two. It’s rare and it’s special, and you’re right, you have been through so much together. First you defeated the daughter of the greatest Dark wizard of all time together, and now this. It’s _perfectly normal_ for you to feel weird without him.”  
“I thought I wanted to be alone, but when I got in my room I realized I can’t do it. It feels too much like… like last week. It’s the silence. Lily, what if there’s something wrong with me? What if I’m falling apart?”  
She leaned over so he had to look at her. “Albus. You’re not falling apart. You’re coping. I can’t imagine what these past days have been like for you… I could never go through that. You’re the strongest person I know. Maybe it will take time, but you _will_ overcome this. You did last time. You do everyday at Hogwarts when people are general dickheads to you-”  
Albus frowned, he hadn’t known she knew about all that stuff.  
“Albus, please, I may be in Gryffindor and the year below, but I’m not oblivious. You’re tormented practically on a daily basis, so you can get through this one little thing that’s over now.”  
“One little thing..” Albus chuckled. “You know he tortured me right?”  
“I know.” Lily looked away, looking sadder than Albus had ever seen her.  
“Wait, how did you… Did mum and dad tell you?” Albus thought he might know the answer.  
“No, I… I heard the Howler.”  
“Shit.”  
Albus couldn’t believe she’d heard his screams while he was being tortured. Talk about being tormented.  
“Albus. I mean it. You are the strongest person I know. And you and Scorpius, together, that team is unbeatable.”  
“Thanks Lils.” He replied with a sad smile. “I’ve just seen what this stuff did to Scorpius last year. He was tortured and he had to survive in a world where Voldemort ruled… I mean he’s coping, but it’s been so hard for him.”  
“How so?”  
“Well for starters he has nightmares. But like, really bad ones. Ones where he can’t sleep for hours afterwards. He wakes up screaming, thinking he’s back being tortured, or that I’m dead, and his whole world is gone. Every night we cast _Muffliato_ over both our beds so we can hear each other but no one else can hear us. Then he has panic attacks during the day as well. He’s suffering. And this is going to have made it so much worse for him.”  
“And you.”  
“Yeah. What if I’m not strong enough to be there for him? What if I start to crack up too?”  
Lily sighed. “Partnerships are about teamwork. You both help each other. Scorpius will show you that if you ever need him to. You don’t have to constantly be there for him. You can let him be there for you too.”  
Albus looked at her. Partnership? What was she implying?  
“Me and Scorp, I don’t know what you’ve heard…”  
“I haven’t _heard_ anything Albus. I know you’re best friends.” She paused, uncertain now, for the first time. “But you can be best friends and something else at the same time.”  
Albus really didn’t know what to say to that. It’s like she could see into his very soul, like she knew every thought he’d ever had.  
“I don’t think we’re anything else Lils,” he said, looking away.  
“Then that’s fine. As long as you both still love each other, in whatever kind of way, I know you’ll be fine.”  
And just like that, Albus believed her. What had he done to deserve such a wise and kind and beautiful sister?  
“Thanks Lils,” he said again, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his hoodie. She reached over and hugged him again, tightly.  
“Um, do you think I could sleep in here tonight?”  
“Sure.”  
“Just, please don’t tell James. Or dad.”  
“What do you take me for?” She looked mock offended, and smiled, and she looked so much like Ginny.

  
The rest of the afternoon passed too slowly for Albus’s liking, being so on edge. He collapsed onto the sofa downstairs where there were the sounds of daily life going on around him, and decided to put on a Muggle movie that his dad quite liked to watch. He hadn’t realized what he was putting on, until something triggered his mind.

  
_One ring to rule them all,_  
_One ring to find them,_  
_One ring to bring them all,_  
_And in the darkness, bind them_

  
Wasn’t that what Scorpius was talking about during their time in captivity? The lord of the rings, or something like that? He looked at the DVD case. It was! He was watching the movie of that muggle book Scorpius loved, the Fellowship of the Ring. He smiled, hugging the DVD case to his chest as he lay on the sofa under his Slytherin blanket. It felt like Scorpius was right there with him.  
He didn’t fall asleep for the entire movie. He was captivated. About half way through Lily came down and got comfy on one of the armchairs. She’d seen it before, but it didn’t feel like she was just sitting with him to keep him company either, which he appreciated.  
When the movie had ended and he was wandering what on earth to do now, it occurred to him that he was bloody starving. _Merlin_ , he realized, he was pretty sure the last solid thing he ate had been a week ago. How had he not felt that? He’d been starving when they’d found him, and that had been painful enough, but since waking up he’d not felt hungry at all, despite still not eating anything. Getting up, he walked to the kitchen to find Ginny busying about.  
“Um, mum… I’m kind of hungry,” he began. His mum looked at him and immediately reached for a box sitting on the counter that Albus had never seen before in his life.  
“Right,” she replied. “I’m so sorry Albus I thought you were asleep.” Reaching in she pulled out a potion and Albus realized it must be a box full of potions St. Mungo’s had sent them home with. He was surprised to see how many were in there – he felt fine. Apart from like his stomach was starting to eat itself.  
She handed him the potion and Albus looked at her.  
“Um what exactly is this for?”  
“That one takes the hunger pains away, you’ll only be on it for a few days hopefully.”  
“But shouldn’t I be eating something?” Albus was confused – were they trying to keep him starving?  
“Not exactly, once you’ve taken that one you need to drink this one.” Seeing Albus’s confused glare she carried on. “It has all the right stuff in, apparently. You know, for someone who hasn’t had any nutrients or anything for several days. If you ate too much right now you’d be sick and wouldn’t be able to keep it down.”  
“Great.” Albus huffed as he took the potion from her and downed it. The effect was immediate but gradual. His stomach stopped feeling like it was disintegrating at least.  
“So when can I have real food?” he asked, reaching for the second potion.  
“Hopefully tomorrow,” his mum replied reassuringly. “If you do start to feel hungry again drink more of this okay?” She took the bottle back from him and placed it back in the box.  
“What the hell are all the rest for then?”  
She looked at him, semi-reprimanding him, but continued in a soothing tone. “There’s one for the pain left over from the Cruciatus curse. And one for dreamless sleep, if you need it.”  
Albus paused, suddenly feeling awkward. “I won’t need it,” he said, more to assure himself than Ginny. He cast around for a change of subject.  
“Um, would it be alright if Scorpius came to stay with us after he gets out?” Awkward as it was he’d rather ask than just avoid the topic and not get to see Scorpius for who knew how long.  
Ginny smiled. She couldn’t help herself. “Your father and I have already agreed with Draco that Scorpius can come to us for a few days.”  
Albus couldn’t help grinning. He lowered his head, trying not to show his mum. Suddenly he felt like he could get through this evening and tonight.

That night as he moved his pillow and duvet into Lily’s room he thought he wanted to take that dreamless sleep potion, just to be safe. Waking Lily up in the night screaming like Scorpius did wasn’t exactly something he thought would impress his younger sister. But he was too embarrassed to go down and ask which one it was again, and besides, Scorpius would be here tomorrow, he could get through one night.  
He thought it would take a long time for him to fall asleep, however it was the most comfortable bed he’d been in for a long while, even if it was on the floor. He knew he was safe with Lily just feet away, and managed to easily succumb to the exhaustion he’d been battling all day. If only _staying_ asleep was as easy. The first time he woke he was drenched in sweat. Immediately he worried he’d woken his sister, but she must be a heavy sleeper for she was still lying motionless above him. After the second time he woke up like this, he thought he would be better in his own room after all. He couldn’t be paranoid about waking Lily up all night. He dragged his stuff back across the landing to his room.  
When he saw the potions box and a note from Ginny sitting on his bedside table he felt like crying – with gratitude or self-pity, he wasn’t sure which. She must have known he would want the potions at some point, but had that infuriating streak of pride he’d inherited from Harry that prevented him from asking.  
Albus picked up the note – it was instructions for each potion, and information on which one was which. When he was sure which one to take and how much, he swallowed the dreamless sleep potion like it was water in a desert, and fell back into his own bed, barely having time to worry about the silence or feeling alone, before he could feel the potion pulling him into blissful relief.

When he woke up the next morning he felt truly rested. His first thought was that his room was quite bright for morning, and the second thing he realized was his stomach felt on fire again. Fumbling over to the potions box he remembered using last night, he read Ginny’s note as if for the first time. Whoops. That potion had knocked him out for ten hours. He hurriedly took the potion that eased the hunger pains. The note also told him to take the one that seemed to substitute for real food. Replacing the bottle, he glanced around the room for his watch. Not knowing what time it was was making him feel vulnerable. _Shit_ , it was gone midday. Just then he heard voices coming from downstairs. That was an older male voice, but it wasn’t his dad… Draco? What was Draco doing in their house? Cursing, he scrambled out the door and down the stairs, not even pausing to make sure he looked presentable. He stopped halfway up the stairs at the sight of Scorpius and his dad talking to his parents in the living room. They all turned around as soon as they heard him, Ginny looking as natural as ever, Harry shifting awkwardly, and Draco barely concealing a smirk. Of course Scorpius’s face lit up as soon as he saw Albus. Albus knew he must look a similar picture of soppiness.

 

******

  
**Scorpius**  
When Albus had said goodbye to him yesterday at St Mungo’s, Scorpius had focused only on thinking about their reunion. If he dwelled on the fact that he was having to spend the night without him he worried he’d fall so far into a panic that he wouldn’t be able to climb out again. He knew he was still being given calming draughts but he still had to spent the rest of that day reading furiously to distract himself from Albus’s absence. It felt like he was trying to live without all four of his limbs. After a fake night’s sleep the Healers had checked how his hypothermia was receding, and given him the all clear, with the extremely helpful advice of making sure he kept warm and drank his potions.  
“You mean I can go?” he asked, not even trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.  
“Yes Mr. Malfoy, I think we’ve done all we can for you here. You were very lucky they found you in time.”  
Scorpius had just smiled, looking down. When his dad came back from getting coffee, he’d bounded out of bed and ran up to him, demanding they leave at once. Draco had of course obliged – being in St. Mungo’s again brought back a lot of bad memories for him – but he insisted they go home to the Manor first before heading to the Potters’.  
Scorpius had barely been able to detect the look of hurt that crossed his dad’s face when he’d been so eager leave the Manor, after staying long enough only to have a shower and pack a bag.  
“Um, I’m sorry dad…” he began awkwardly, his blindingly bright smile wavering for once into a look of uncertainty and nervousness.  
One look at his son and Draco couldn’t remain angry. “Don’t be silly Scorpius,” he meant it to come out warmly, but there was an edge to it. He pulled Scorpius into a hug in front of the fireplace. “I just wish I could be there for you.”  
“You are here for me dad. You’ll always be here for me…”  
“But right now it’s Albus you need,” Draco finished for him. They pulled away, Scorpius looking confused. “It’s okay. Really, I understand. You two are lucky you have each other. I wish I’d had a friend like him.”  
They looked at each other for a second, both cherishing the understanding of the other.  
“Come on, let’s get you reunited.” Draco moved Scorpius to the fireplace and together they flooed into the Potters’.  
And so now he was staring at his best friend, who was stood frozen half way up the stairs, clearly just woken up. He was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, and his hair was sticking up, not just at the back, but everywhere. Scorpius took in the view, admiring the sight.  
“Albus!” he squeaked, running forwards.  
Albus grinned and met him half-way, enveloping him in a hug.  
“Ow… ow, ow, ow,” Albus spluttered out, and immediately Scorpius pulled away, guilt etching his face. Albus addressed the room awkwardly, “Sorry, I… I was asleep.”  
Scorpius was staring at Albus, he loved it when his best friend blushed.  
“Well Scorpius, I think I’ll leave you to settle in,” his dad broke the awkward silence.  
“You’re welcome to stay for lunch Draco,” Ginny offered kindly, glancing at Harry as she did so.  
“Thank you Ginny, but I think I’ll take my leave.”  
“No.” It was Harry. “Stay Draco, we’d be happy to have you.”  
Scorpius was grateful to Harry for offering his dad to stay. While all he wanted was to get somewhere alone with Albus, he also couldn’t stand the thought of his dad returning to the Manor alone so soon.  
“Well, alright then.” Scorpius knew his dad was touched by this gesture from his old rival, and he was trying not to be awkward about it but not doing a very convincing job, at least not to Scorpius.  
“Perfect, come in and sit down then,” Ginny said brightly, and the adults all headed in to the kitchen.  
“Come on,” Albus mumbled to Scorpius, heading back up the stairs, and after glancing back to see his dad making conversion with Albus’s parents, Scorpius followed after him.  
“Albus, I missed you,” he trailed out to Albus’s back. _Way to state the obvious_ , he thought, cringing. As they reached the top of the stairs Albus put his arm around Scorpius’s side, as if he needed the contact. But it wasn’t enough to make Scorpius think it was anything other than platonic, a thought that both relaxed and saddened his heart.  
“Um of course you did I’m pretty goddamn amazing,” Albus replied, reaching instead for Scorpius’s hand and pulling him towards his room, despite the fact that Scorpius knew perfectly well the direction to go.  
Scorpius just marveled at how wonderful it was to be back in Albus’s company, to feel him close to him, to be the subject of his sarcasm once more. Albus pulled him into his room, and they both sat down on the bed, Scorpius enthusiastically, Albus rather more gingerly.  
“Are you okay Albus?” Scorpius asked. He remembered the after effects of the Cruciatus only too well.  
“Yeah, just sore. But forget about me, how are you? How was St Mungo’s without me?” Albus grinned, running his hand messily through his overly long hair.  
Scorpius watched the gesture, his heart warming. “It was awful.”  
Albus stilled, becoming serious. “Yeah. I felt the same last night.”  
“You did?”  
“Um, yeah!” Albus explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Not having you here, it felt like something was missing.”  
Well, that sounded very familiar. Scorpius looked up at him, but it was Albus who spoke again.  
“Do you think we’re going to be relying on each other for the _rest of our lives_?” he rolled his eyes in an attempt to sound less ominous, but Scorpius could see the worry underneath the humorous façade.  
“Well… I’d be fine with that.” Silence.  
“Scorp, I’ve been meaning to tell you something-“  
“Stop.” Scorpius covered his face in embarrassment and anticipation. His heart was beating far too fast and hard. He didn’t want Albus to say another word. “Just… stop.”  
But when he didn’t continue, Albus didn’t know what to do. “Okay…”  
Suddenly Scorpius turned and sat cross legged on the bed, facing Albus. He had to say his piece. It was long overdue. “Look, just shut up and listen. I guess you’ve begun to notice, but just let me explain first, and afterwards we can pretend nothing ever happened if that’s what you want.” The thought made his heart break.  
Albus’s heart however was hammering in his chest. Oh Merlin. He knew what this was. At least he thought he did? How embarrassing if he’d misjudged the situation. Luckily however all he had to do for now was listen. He could do that. He could do that for Scorpius.  
“Albus.” Scorpius cleared his throat. He tried again. “Last night was awful. Without you, I couldn’t function. I need you with me.” He was speaking very slowly, giving himself time to think. He paused. He didn’t dare look at Albus, instead staring into Albus’s lap. “But I’ve felt things for a while… since before all of last week.”  
Albus desperately wanted to ask _what things?,_ but he restrained himself. He had to let Scorpius do this. He guessed it would be his turn next anyway, and suddenly his heart sped up even more.  
Scorpius steeled himself. He had to do this, had to get it out.  
“Albus, I really fancy you. Okay?” He looked up for the first time and into Albus’s dark green eyes. His breath caught. “I fancy the freaking pants off you.”  
Albus knew Scorpius was finished now. He looked terrified, awaiting his response. Albus swallowed, and grinned, looking away.  
“What?” Scorpius was panicking now. “Albus, please say something! I’m sorry, okay? I just had to say it! But if you don’t feel the same we can pretend I never said it and everything can go back to normal, and I won’t mind, I just don’t want to lose you Albus, not as a friend, not ever! Please just-“  
Albus turned back to lock eyes, cutting him off with just a look. “Now it’s your turn to shut up.”  
“Okay,” Scorpius whispered, still terrified. He’d been so sure his feelings were reciprocated – it was the only reason he’d dared voicing them in the first place. But Albus started to smile slowly. The sight was beautiful, the way his hair fell down just over his forest eyes. Scorpius felt his heart miss a beat.  
“You’re my best friend. And I love you. I always have,” – Scorpius readied for the _but_ – “and I always will.”  
“But in what way?” he pleaded.  
“Well, I don’t know!” Albus laughed.  
“Oh my god.” He knew it. His stomach felt like it had dropped through to Australia. He hated himself, how could he have been so stupid? Of course Albus would never like him back, what was he thinking? Albus wasn’t even gay, how could he have misjudged everything so badly? He just wanted to get away from Albus and curl up in a ball and die of embarrassment.  
Seeing all these feelings behind Scorpius’s eyes, which were now swimming with tears, Albus felt dreadful.  
“Wait! Wait, wait, wait! That’s not what I meant! Let me explain!” When Scorpius didn’t say anything, he rushed to fix the situation. “I’ve never really thought about guys like that before… but… _recently_ … I…” _Merlin_ , why was this so hard? _Get yourself together Albus_. “These past few days, while were in that place, and then after at St Mungo’s, when we shared the bed… I _have_ started to think that way. About you.”  
“So..?” Scorpius needed more. Why was Albus being so vague?  
But Albus couldn’t reply. He didn’t know how to voice any of his feelings. He didn’t even know what it was he was feeling! “All I know, is I love you very much. I love being around you. In fact I can’t bear being away from you. I love it when you geek out and talk about history. I love when you ramble about pointless shit. I love when we talk and you always know exactly what to say. And… and it makes my heart stop when you smile. I love… being close to you.”  
He was still staring straight into Scorpius’s eyes, and Scorpius couldn’t help grinning, despite himself. “You like… being close to me?” In a very Albus-y move it was mocking, but the need for the right answer was there underneath. Albus grinned back.  
Scorpius felt his heart lift. “So you like… when I do this?”  
And he leaned in, trying to radiate confidence, because he really didn’t know how Albus would react to this. He moved his hands to the back of Albus’s neck, and their lips connected, and Scorpius was kissing Albus. It felt so right, like everything he’d imagined. He knew he was being selfish. Instead of focusing on how Albus was reacting to him, Scorpius just decided to soak up every minute of it in case it never happened again. All he’d wanted for a long time was to take Albus like this, weaving his hands through that hair. Although he’d started gentle, he wanted more. He deepened the kiss, and suddenly his hands were all over Albus. Albus wasn’t exactly kissing him back (at least not passionately, as he’d hoped), but he wasn’t protesting either. Feeling Albus’s breath catch, he pulled away.  
Trying to hide the fact that he was panting, he turned his face away. “Sorry,” he whispered.  
As he wasn’t looking at Albus, he had to do a double take to make sure he’d heard Albus right…  
“Do it again.”  
He turned back to lock eyes with Albus. He thought Albus’s stare would surely cut right through him.  
He didn’t need telling twice.  
He threw his arms around Albus’s neck, and this time Albus reciprocated the gesture, moving his arms around Scorpius’s waist, unsure. Scorpius smiled into the kiss at how adorably awkward Albus was at this. But there was no doubt he wanted it. Scorpius pushed Albus back onto the bed, and planted himself firmly on top, trapping him under his advances. He was kissing Albus over and over, his mouth, his neck, his mouth again. He’d wanted this for so long, he wanted Albus, and he was determined to show him just how much.  
Albus on the other hand, was just trying to keep up with Scorpius. This was all new to him – he’d never kissed anyone before (a few girls had tried, but Albus had always brushed them off, assuming it was some practical joke) and Scorpius certainly seemed to know what he was doing. It was almost too much. But he was loving every second. He wanted Scorpius to keep going until he was physically too exhausted to carry on, which, from the way things were going, seemed to be exactly Scorpius’s plan. He was trapped underneath him, his hands on Scorpius’s waist, catching his breath whenever he could. Scorpius stopped kissing him for a moment, grinning into Albus’s neck. The feel of his breath tickling his neck made Albus weak.  
“Albus, can you _please_ take this damn hoodie off?” Scorpius panted.  
Whatever butterflies were in Albus’s stomach seemed to have transformed into a whirlwind. He didn’t even think, he just started pulling off the hoodie, and cast it aside somewhere.  
“That’s better,” Scorpius mumbled into Albus’s neck, “I can get my hands on you now.”  
Albus blushed furiously as Scorpius’s hands found their way under his shirt, caressing his chest, grasping and pulling.  
“Ahh!” Albus gasped suddenly in pain.  
Scorpius immediately stopped. Had he hurt Albus? “Albus I’m so sorry!” he said, sitting up and scrambling off him.  
“No, it’s okay, keep going,” Albus moaned, still lying there, eyes shut.  
But Scorpius caught sight of where Albus’s shirt had risen up his chest. His skin was blotched a dark purple color on his left side. “Albus…”  
Opening his eyes finally, Albus looked to where Scorpius was staring. He immediately pulled his shirt down. “It’s nothing, really, let’s keep going…”  
“Albus stop, I know what that is and I know how painful it is.”  
Albus met his eyes for the first time since they’d started. He sighed, grasping Scorpius’s arms and trying to pull him back down on top of him.  
Scorpius didn’t want to fight Albus, so he let him pull him down, and didn’t resist as Albus started trying to kiss him. After a moment’s thought he decided Albus still wanted this and wasn’t in any pain right this second, so he gave back in, though he wasn’t as forceful as before. Albus groaned loudly.  
“Scorp…”  
Scorpius smiled, ceasing the kissing, and pulled them so they were lying on Albus’s right side.  
“I’m not hurting you.”  
Albus heard the finality in Scorpius’s tone. “You’re not. You’re really not.”  
Scorpius laughed. “I guess this means you’ve figured out what you want?”  
Albus groaned again. “Yeah, you could say that,” he paused. “Can we just agree right now on something?”  
Scorpius frowned. “What?”  
“That if this ever… if something happens and this doesn’t… you know, work out..”  
“You mean if we break up?” The concept was unimaginable to Scorpius. He knew this was it for him. He wanted Albus, like this, forever.  
“Sure. I mean, not that I’m having second thoughts or anything!” Albus rushed to reassure Scorpius.  
But Scorpius just laughed, “Well good, I’m so glad about that!” he paused. “But I know what you’re going to say. _If_ this doesn’t work out forever, we’ll never lose our friendship.” Scorpius desperately hoped that with time, Albus would come to think as he did, that they were soulmates.  
“Promise?” Albus prompted.  
Scorpius looked at him quizzically. “Why are you asking me this Albus?”  
Albus was quiet for a second, avoiding his gaze. “I will always want you. I’m pretty sure that, well, this is it for me now. But… I know I’m difficult to be friends with at the best of times. I know I sometimes do stupid things, say stupid stuff… I’m so afraid I’ll ruin it.” Albus looked away ashamed.  
Scorpius put his hand on Albus’s face, tilting it so he had to look at him. He wasn’t surprised Albus was saying all these things, he knew Albus and he knew all of his insecurities.  
“Albus Severus Potter. You are singularly the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I am never. Ever. Walking away from this.”  
Albus tried to hide his smile, relief flooding through him. Suddenly he was filled with so much love.  
“I promise.” And Scorpius leaned in, effectively ending that conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this far, this sequel is very different to the original story, but hopefully you liked it! Comments and Kudos = love! If a single person lets me know they'd want more, it's enough to make me happy and very possibly continue the story.  
> Check me out on tumblr: @cursedchimera!  
> Love!


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